iLive With my Savior
by HarmonicLiterature
Summary: Naruto Uzumaki has lived a life of tragedy, his parents dying at the age of only five, and the fact he had to stick it out in the muck filled streets for years. Now as his situation becomes even more dreadful, a twist of fate sends his whole world spiraling. As his situation changes, how will both he and the people surrounding him become different? (Main Pairing Narly)
1. Chapter 1: iStrive to Survive

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or iCarly. Although if I did I would probably be rich enough to plan world domination! MWAHAHAHAHA.  
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 **Oh crap, I just typed the last part of my unquestionably evil monologue didn't I? Ugh, too much effort to backspace that again. Well, all I have to do is hope you LOYAL readers don't foil my plans that I (carefully and deliberately) wrote on this overly monumental piece of blueprint paper, that I myself titled 'Evil Plans'! If you guys did though.. That would be very.. Despicable of you. I would probably cry if you did that actually. **Sobs gloomily into depression.  
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 **Also, I am truly sorry for the long disappearance but I'm back! Hope you enjoy the chapter my loyal readers! Most of you guys actually requested this crossover which surprised me! But I digress, I finished it and am now testing the waters, hopefully I get LOTS, and LOTS of reviews! That's what keeps me writing after all, well besides the fact that I have buckets full of fun that is. Oh wait, sorry I'm rambling and you're sitting there rolling your eyes in annoyance aren't you?.. Sorry for that! Please enjoy the chapter you fabulous reader.**

Chapter 1: iStrive to Survive  


* * *

"No, no, no, no, no! NO! Where are all the food?! It has to be in here somewhere!" A young blonde teen desperately cried out searching vigorously through mountains of trash bags in dire need of something to eat. He has been digging through bags of garbage constantly for the past three days and it was starting to worry him. What if he was going to starve to death? A death with no purpose of that of an average street hobo.

The thought didn't sound pleasant, so he began to search with even more vigor than before. Maybe there was still hope.. he just wished that hope would show its face every now and then. He grasped another trash bag sticking his hand into the muck holding back a gag coming from his throat. He grabbed onto the contents of the grimy bag finding some wasted noodles in a cup in there.

 _'It won't last very long but I'll persevere through the night.'_ The blonde thought with a frown. This has been his life ever since the age of five, he has been living through the dirt of the streets striving to survive on his own for one whole decade. He strives to survive, for his parents who died on that tragic night. Visions came back and haunted him ever since, of the memories of his parents' faces, blood, glass, and desperate pleads for him to run and survive no matter the cost.

That's the only reason he kept up this pitiful life, because he promised his parents he would, and Naruto Uzumaki never goes back on his word. Ever.

Just as the blonde was about to eat the cup of rotten, moldy, green noodles utilizing his bare hands he felt something tap on his shoulder. He turned around grunting as something hard impacted his face, causing him to fall onto his back and into the other grimy trash bags, also dropping the cup of overdue noodles which spread all over the disgusting stain filled concrete. He looked up, his vision blurry as he saw a faint figure standing over him.

"Well, look what we have here. It seems little o'l Naruto hit the jackpot today. Now lemme have at it. It's your treat isn't it boy?" The man's voice was raspy, almost dry like he hasn't had anything to drink in days. Naruto glared rising from the ground placing his hands in an experienced fighting stance. He knew who this man's voice was and he wasn't letting him have the only piece of food he's found in over 80 hours.

"Hand over the noodles Bates, so nobody has to get hurt here. We can share it." Naruto tried to reason, standing firmly in his practiced stance. He hoped he could really get a chance to eat some of those noodles, it's been years since he's had something this decent and he wasn't going to back down either, he just didn't want to hurt anyone over it.

Bates only scoffed noticing Naruto was still standing in his particularly favorite stance which he developed over the years. He really thought this scene was going to end happily? He _might_ have shared the noodles if it meant it was over his dead body, and when he noticed Naruto start to stand like that there was just no way this bout was going to be pretty, he was going to savor these noodles once Naruto was out of his hair. _Forever_.

Bates simply grinned placing the Styrofoam cup on the ground getting into his own sloppy fighting stance.

"Share it? Yeah, I'll share it, when I'm a dead corpse being prepared for my funeral that is." He spat noticing Naruto sigh with discontentment.

"I didn't want to have to do this Bates. But you leave me with no other option here. For that, I'm sorry." Naruto frowned seeing the look of anger on his opponent's face.

"Don't be sorry until you're dead Uzumaki." Bates grunted charging with his best battle cry. Naruto only exhaled feeling sorry for the grown man, to be so desperate as to try and pick on a fifteen year old just because he wanted food that they both could have shared. Now, it was too late and it was Bates's fault. That was just, sad.

Bates ferociously threw a right hook only for Naruto to grasp his outstretched arm and jab him in the stomach, Bates grunted lunging with his left fist while Naruto countered by blocking the punch and hitting him with a high flying knee. Bates growled as he stumbled back, Naruto took this opportunity to give Bates a rightful blow into his abdomen, knocking the breath out of the older man. Bates soon collapsed onto the ground in a coughing sputtering mess. He looked up to witness the blonde give him a look, his eyes scrunched up while his whiskered marked cheeks took up a frown seeing the man suffer from the injuries he caused.

Bates couldn't tell if the look was of sadness, or if it was just plain pity. It didn't matter as he had to tend to the bruises that he received from the abnormally strong teen. He groaned as he tried to get up off of the ground only for his limbs to fail him. He groaned once again, wishing the pain would leave his body.

Naruto took a glimpse at Bates again before simply shaking his head while heading for the cup of moldy noodles on the ground. He picked it up sticking his hand into the Styrofoam cup and scooping up a couple of noodles. He stuck it into his mouth, savoring the supple flavor of noodles on his lips. He was about to scoop up another handful of noodles right before he heard Bates groan once again.

Suddenly hearing the old man groan like that dampened the blonde's mood dramatically. Sure, the guy tried to fight him for a single cup of noodles that he himself found in the dumpster of an alley that they both resided in, but that didn't stop the guilt from seeping into Naruto's system. He just couldn't stand by and let someone else suffer because he was selfish. Even if he did know that deep within his heart that Bates wouldn't think twice but to swallow the noodles whole if it mean that Naruto himself would be stricken with hunger from it.

On the other hand, Naruto wasn't Bates. The blonde teen understood that Bates was just trying to survive like he was, even if he had to take drastic measures for it, going as far as to forcefully try and take it from him. Naruto just had to take pity on the man, which is why he was going to hand the cup of noodles over to him. He'll survive without it, besides he ate some of it already so he'll last probably a few more days before hunger took over and he would have to find more food.

He'll be able to find food again, he's been doing it for years hasn't he? Now weighing his very few options he took another peek at Bates and boy was it a tragic sight.

The man was probably young, but he looked way older than he should have, he had wrinkles that were growing ever-so fast on his features, he had gray hair with hints of his once youthful onyx locks, his beard was the same, fully grown and wild with black and gray hairs. The clothes he wore were as bad, maybe even worse wear than the man himself was.

There were holes where his clothes were torn, and stains of blood and garbage that littered throughout his wardrobe. He had on an overcoat that was the color of decaying summer leaves with tears all over the body and sleeves, he also had on brown working gloves which used to be fully lengthened until they were worn and torn, losing their clothed fingertips which displayed pale white skin, the discoloration unhealthy for a human being,

the cargo shorts he wore were the color of a light brown, whether that was the original clothing product's natural color remained questionable, or if it became that color through hard years of digging through mud and other rotten places for food. His socks used to be white, until they turned a very dark shade of brown. That's the sad thing about being so poor, it meant you couldn't dream of replacing the only clothes and things you had. Although this brought up a new thought to the blonde. If the socks were that bad there was no way Naruto could possibly fathom what Bates's _underwear's_ condition could have been in.

Naruto puked internally at the prospect of how disgusting that thought was. Immediately shaking his head from that mind-shattering image he looked toward Bates's shoe-wear noticing his pitch-black boots were worn out as well, the man didn't even have room for his toes anymore as there were gigantic tears on the front of his combat boots, showing his crusty toe-nails. The condition of the man had Naruto sighing, he felt remorseful for the man, he needed the food more than he did, he just looked so wretched that it was heartbreaking.

For that reason Naruto decided to give him the only food he had. Naruto went over to Bates's prone form and crouched down with the noodle cup in his hand, he set it in front of Bates.

"Here, you can have it Bates. You need it more than I do." Naruto said grimacing at the old man's hopeful face. The fact that he seemed to brighten up at the concept of having _green_ , and _moldy_ old noodles for dinner was saddening to the teen. As if a switch has been flipped Bates immediately sat up and grasped the cup that was right in front of him, sloppily slurping down the noodles like it was the only meal he's had in decades.

Naruto frowned even further looking at how desperate he was sipping down the moldy green strips of pasta so rough and messily like that, the sight sent chills down Naruto's spine, he was glad he wasn't that desperate for food. Once he was done, Bates sat on the ground with his face full of contentment, he rubbed his belly in a circular motion displaying nothing but the bliss he felt at that moment. The sight made Naruto smile, they've been rivals for years, and this one act of kindness might end up burying the hatchet between their continuous conflict.

Bates glanced up at the blonde teen giving him a grin before standing up and diving in for a lively hug, which caught the blue eyed teen by surprise.

"Thank you Naruto! I've never had such a great meal in my entire life!" His voice sounded so joyful that it put Naruto at ease, returning the embrace he received easily.

"I was just tired of fighting Bates, we could live on and survive together now. We both can strive for a life better than what we have here." Naruto declared his voice powerful, so strong that it shook Bates deep within his core. The old appearing man gave off a throaty chuckle, the joyful sound full of mirth. Bates also lifted his left hand grasping the back of Naruto's head, the effect deepening the hug further.

"I'm tired of fighting too kid, and I'm glad. _Now, I can finally see you die by my hand Uzumaki_." He says whispering the last part into Naruto's ear. Upon hearing that statement Naruto's eyes immediately blazed into confused alarm.

"Wait, what did you mea-" He couldn't finish the sentence he was forming as something sharp dug into his abdomen, an immediate pain erupted throughout his body as blood leaked from his wound. Naruto collapsed onto his knees, he looked down seeing the handle of the object that stabbed into his body. As he tried to move he instantly felt a rush of blood erupt from his throat only to cough it up onto the ground.

He breathed heavily trying to sustain the life he still had left within himself. Looking up he saw Bates grinning maniacally, laughing at his accomplishment.

 _'Bastard.'_ Naruto thought coughing up more blood as his abdomen leaked out more rose colored fluid. He tried to breathe but he felt as if he was underwater, and his oxygen was slowly being plugged in from his lungs, the only thing he could do was cough up even more blood while the man in front of him laughed at his despair, like he _enjoyed_ it.

"I've been waiting to do that for so many years, I've always hated you for your stupid dumbfounded luck, you and your kind attitude even while you're in the same boat as me, your youthful blonde locks that never seemed to have aged like my hair has, but most of all, I hated the fact that you pitied me all these years, giving me food even as I tried to earn it myself, making me turn out to be a freeloader, as if I was _begging_ for you to save me.

Seeing you try and breathe while you suffer on the ground in this moment has brought me more joy than any piece of food ever could, seeing you cough up blood as your worthless life is being choked out of you is such a thrill. Hell, I might even watch the whole thing! Or maybe I should beat your face in until it isn't pretty anymore. Either way, you're going to die today, and you'll be out of my life forever. And I'm going to love every waking moment of this." The old man grinned, savagely watching as Naruto fell, barely supporting himself with his arms and knees. Naruto looked looked up anger in his ocean eyes for the man he gave nothing but kindness to.

"It didn't have to end this way Bates! I-I, we could've..- interrupted by the swelling in his throat he coughed up another patch of blood staining the concrete once more. He cursed himself for easily being fooled, for being weak, for being so trusting.

-We could have helped each other.. Bates.. We could have survived together.." Naruto's voice didn't have that same determination to survive like it did the previous years. His vocal chords sounded quiet, fragile and powerless, the loudest he could speak was barely above a whisper now, just the way Bates liked it.

"Sorry, were you saying something? I couldn't hear you, but I could have sworn you said that you wanted me to hit you as you die." Bates chuckled seeing Naruto's lifeless eyes widen with royal whirlpools of trepidation. Bates slowly stalked toward the blonde as he tried to yell out, only to cough up more blood, more blood erupting from his lips in spurts. He struggled to look up again, once he lifted his head off of the ground he felt something hit his face, feeling a bone or two break from the impact.

"How does it feel, to experience being worthless? Doesn't feel good does it? But don't worry, there's a _lot_ more where that came from boy." Bates glared lifting Naruto's face up only to spit on him. Naruto couldn't form a decent reply as pain wracked throughout his body, it hurt just to try and breathe, there was no way he was getting out of this. Why was Bates doing this? All Naruto has done has helped him survive, even if Bates didn't ask for it, he just couldn't leave the man to himself, Naruto was too kind for that. So why did he hold so much hatred for him?

It made no sense.

 _'I'm sorry mom, dad. I just wish I could have lived longer.. But maybe I'll get to see you again when I pass..'_ The thought put an internal smile on Naruto's face. Unluckily his face was in too much pain to form a cohesive facial expression, and it was all thanks to Bates. Naruto tried to look up again, only seeing a faint blur of the man who caused his downfall. He was barely conscious, hearing Bates laugh as he pummeled his face into the ground, again, and again. He felt something ruffle in his pocket as Bates hit him once again, seeing a black elastic fabric with a symbol of a leaf designed onto the shiny metal plate his breath caught in his throat as he clutched onto the headband, the soft, memory inducing accessory comforted the blonde, until he was beaten to the point to where he could only see black..

* * *

Naruto opened his eyes to find that it was pitch black outside, the skies were dark and gray, and the stars lit up above. His body felt like someone slowly finished ripping off his skin, piece by piece, until there was nothing left. His abdomen wasn't in the best condition either, it seems Bates left the knife there, probably thinking he had no use for it anymore was Naruto's guess.

Speaking of Bates, he was nowhere in sight, probably off somewhere else, looking for food or something. It was dark now and time must have passed, which would make any sane person hungry. That meant if Bates wasn't here Naruto did have a chance at surviving, he just had to get out of the area to get his wounds patched up. He needed to look for the nearest hospital, most importantly he might be able to keep his promise to his parents, he just needed to sneak away before Bates came back to finish him off.

Knowing him he probably left Naruto there just because he wouldn't be able to hear and see him suffer while he beat him senseless.

 _'That fucker.'_ Naruto growled struggling once more to lift his body off of the ground, only for him to collapse again, feeling the sharp object in his abdomen drill deeper into his body, causing a hiss of pain to spew out from the blonde. He had to suppress any noise he made, he didn't know if Bates was near, so being quiet just in case he could sneak away was the only option. He couldn't lose his one chance for survival now of all times. Now with more intensity than in his previous attempt Naruto lifted himself off of the ground in slow a slow and unsteady motion, he slowly rose as his knees buckled underneath as his bones were shattering from the effort. He knelt on both knees to take heavy, labored breaths.

 _'That hurt more than I expected it to. Doesn't help that this thing is inside of me. I have to take it out, it's gonna hurt like a bitch though.'_ Naruto deduced grasping the handle, feeling his skin ripple from the contact. He acknowledged that the skin surrounding the handle screeched with pain as the blonde forcefully pulled out the object before stopping midway as his knees buckled.

His body shot through with shock from moving the object as he let out a scorching hot scream.

"OOOOOOOOOOW!" He cried as the sharp object within him caused the pain to intensify. If he could describe what kind of pain he felt, he would honestly have no idea as to what kind of words he would use. It was something in between a bulldozer slowly drilling into a wall, and a hammer repeatedly slamming into a bent nail. Naruto was in so much pain that he nearly passed out right then and there. The only thing keeping him awake?

His determination to see another day. He grunted, breathing heavily as he grasped onto the handle, slowly pulling the sharp object out again, while blood streamed out of his open wound like a busted ketchup bottle until he successfully pulled out the knife. Naruto moaned as he dropped the sharp object onto the ground, creating a ringing noise that could potentially alert anyone nearby.

He cursed himself for being so careless, but there was no time to worry, he had to take care of the wound. He was near a dumpster so a trash bag will have to do to keep the blood from leaking out. He didn't have many options here but it was better than nothing. Sure, he could have used his shirt but if he were to be honest he didn't think getting hypothermia on a night as cold as this was going to help any more than the stab wound was.

Crawling toward the nearest trash bag he clumsily emptied out its contents of empty soda bottles and food cans. Afterwards he wrapped it around his lower body and around his back, tying the bag with a painful hiss. He stood up shakily as he put his right hand onto his abdomen, helping to keep pressure so that blood couldn't leak out of his wound as much, after that was done with, Naruto looked forward seeing an open road, taking his chance to limp toward it with the little life he had left.

* * *

Naruto didn't know how far or how long he walked toward the road. Right now he was currently trudging on a hill with plants and nature all around him. He saw animals from all different kinds in the vicinity frolicking away as he trudged toward the lengthened concrete. The blonde must have been limping for at least 15 minutes, the road ever looking so far. He swore he should have been at least close to reaching it by now, but it just kept on slipping away from him as he progressed further and further.

He hissed as every step sent a chilling pain throughout his body, feeling like a razor blade is chipping at his very core. He tried to placate the ongoing feeling of nervousness but the blood slowly leaking onto his hand didn't help ease the tension that was building up within him. When he started to trudge toward the road he really thought that it would take less time than it did up to this point, the pain in his stomach didn't recede and his will to go on has deteriorated largely as he kept noticing his steps were agonizingly slow, so slow that it would be comparable to a turtle with a single leg.

The thought of that image quickly diminished most of the hope the young Uzumaki had. Although, that still didn't stop him from trying. He just had to, there was always a chance, no matter how slim. He couldn't just stop his journey here, not when he made it so far into this stage of his life surviving on his own. Naruto just had to keep walking, there was still a chance he could make it. Soon after a few steps he felt the leaf headband ruffle in his pocket. He looked down slightly reminiscing in the memory of his previous life, the life he had before he became a kid living it out on the streets.

This headband he had, it was a gift from his parents, his parents gave him the headband to celebrate the fact that he started in Kindergarten, he smiled at the memory of his parents- wait, that's right! He promised his parents that he would survive no matter what happened, he just had to believe in himself. He had to keep going no matter the circumstances. He would be damn if he would just give up, his name was Naruto Uzumaki, and Naruto Uzumaki never gave up! Now with new vigor he limped toward the open road, his will heightened with a new fire in his radiant ocean eyes.

* * *

With his driven determination and the minor intensity it took to get onto the road Naruto knew he was close. Well, he couldn't tell what was remotely close anymore as his peripherals blurred from the loss of blood he sustained. He rubbed both of his eyes to try and sedate the blur of his vision, not caring that he left red stains all over his face.

There were more important things than trying to look like a normal, living, human being right now. He rubbed at his eyes viciously, attempting to clear his sight. As his drive to clear his vision weakened he stopped rubbing leaving him as close to blind as he was going to get. He sighed, barely able to do so from the blood that is consuming the space in his lungs, getting him to cough out more blood once again. He looked up feeling his muscles weaken as the pattern of all different blank white shapes consumed his visage.

He glanced to the left, it was dark, no apparent vehicle in sight as he finally stepped onto the road. Afterwards, he looked to the right, before he heard the sound of rubber screeching on concrete, it was a bright sight and he walked toward it, before feeling something hit him, sending him flying over the the mysterious moving machine. He landed on the ground groaning, whatever made contact with him most likely shortened his already dwindling life by a few minutes. He couldn't even move his body, his wounds were in too much agony for him to try and think.

Naruto, couldn't even breathe without even the slightest touch of strain, he felt like his throat was being choked out, like his body was being smashed into by a hammer, he was getting desperate, he tried to move, but his body refused to obey his mind's fading command. He looked up to try and comprehend the situation life has set before him, although he couldn't form a comprehensible thought as he heard someone scream, he determinedly tried to cling onto the slight consciousness he had left.

He saw two figures in front of him, appearing as black and white shapes, they were both still screaming, that loud noise even a faint sound to the lifeless blonde. He sees one of the black and white shapes crouch over his prone form, examining him. He tried to say something to them, but all he could do was slip away from consciousness as the darkness claims him.

The only thing he could see now, was a vivid black.

 **I hoped you guys liked it! It seems Naruto just can't take a break from all of the bad stuff that is happening to him! But don't fret you lovely readers, Naruto's life won't always be this bad, it's his origin story after all, and everybody knows that if a character has a terrible origin story that they would have something great happen to them to turn it around!**

 **And that's exactly what is going to happen here. Because honestly life couldn't get any worse right? Right! And also if you made it this far into the chapter I would just love it if you would review, because that makes me swell up inside as I blush like a nervous school girl. Huh, maybe I should buy a plaid skit and a checkered shirt to go along with that image!**

 **But pleasure should wait, I still have world domination to check off of my impending and ever growing miscellaneous list of to-do's first! Like visit Paris, eating mint chocolate chip ice cream.. OH and corrupting the world! MWAHAHA!**

 **Wait.. Wouldn't corrupting the world go hand in hand with world domination? (Note to self, research differences later.) But anyways, I apologize as I ramble on about my dreams. Which reminds me, please review as that is an ENORMOUS dream of mine! I want to reach at least 100 reviews total on a single story! That's my goal, sure it doesn't HAVE to be in the first chapter (as that would be REALLY surprising) but I would like to just read up on your guys' lovely opinions!**

 **Last part before you go: I would like to ask.**

 **What's your favorite kind of ice cream? Answer in a review! As I would like to know what kind of ice cream my belly will corrupt next! And if you have any suggestions you could either review, or PM me. Because I like it when I interact with you guys it's fun!**

 **Now you have a nice day Love.**


	2. Chapter 2: iIntroduction

**Disclaimer: Although I don't own iCarly or Naruto, I do perhaps own this certainly delicious looking orange cup filled with strawberry lemonade. Because you know, _cool_ people drink lemonade! **Grins sadistically while evilly rubbing both hands together in tremendous delight.**

 **I also do have to say that I am very surprised, shocked even that this story has received the support it has and it was all thanks to you fabulous readers! Honestly the reviews I have read have been amazing, so amazing that I am now brimming with the utmost amount of joy!**

 **I'm very appreciative of the reviews and would also like to apologize for how "dark" the last chapter was. To be honest that was one of the only chapters that will ever turn out that dark, I believe the future chapters that I write will have more lighthearted, tender moments. Really the first chapter was so dark because it was his origin story, because his life has to get even worse before it gets better.**

 **Now, as I leave you guys off with that note I ask that you enjoy (or detest) the chapter you are about to read. Have fun!**

Chapter 2: iIntroduction

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He took a peek toward the right side of him, noticing his little sister fold her arms attempting to help herself with the discomfort she was feeling. Her dark eyebrows furrowed in apprehension at what transpired moments before. The situation quickly became darker as the piercing silence of the car's engine humming was their only sound. It was dark out in Seattle as the skies blackened while gray clouds loomed over them. The night was freezing, luckily the sibling duo wore warm clothes as the car's heating vents helped ease the coldness. The man audibly sighed, looking for the words he could say so that they could break this unnerving silence.

"Carly, look. About what happened back there-" Carly gives him a chilling glare as he gulped. The nerves within him returning.

"We're not talking about it." Her tone hinted finality. But he knew what had to be done, and he couldn't just back down.

"I didn't know that-" His sentence was interrupted as Carly began blabbering before he could finish.

"Blah, blah, blah!"

"Carly, I didn't mean for it to-" Carly now covered both of her ears so she couldn't hear him, interrupting once again.

"What?! Sorry! I can't hear you!" She exclaims once again, stopping after Spencer halts his attempt to speak. She uncovers her ears as the silence of the engine consumed the atmosphere once more. Although after a few minutes Spencer spoke quickly before Carly could interrupt again.

"I couldn't have known the sculpture would do that!" Carly grits her teeth as Spencer recalled the tragic experience they both had to endure.

"Spencer don't say it!"

"I mean-"

"Nope!"

"Come on Kiddo-"

"Not right now!"

"But-"

"Nyeaaaaaah!"

"Okay! Fine.. I won't talk about the stupid sculpture.." The older of the duo pouts rotating the wheel and taking a left turn. Carly just breathes a sigh of relief as silence once again fills up the car. Although the silence wouldn't last for long as Spencer begins talking once again.

"I'm sorry that the sculpture-!" Spencer booms in while Carly bursts out also.

"Spencer don't say it!"

"I have to-"

"Nope! You don't!

"Carly-"

"Spencer-" She tries, seeing a dark figure in front of her. At this time Spencer wasn't even looking at the road and at the speed they were going this pedestrian crossing the road was going to get hit. Her older brother was too distracted so she tried to get his attention back to the front.

"I just have this need to talk about it-"

"Spencer-"

"What that sculpture did was just a wow, and I-"

"Spencer.."

"I mean come on! That was so unexpected!"

"Spencer!"

"Can't you agree? Sure it was weird but the way the machine could-"

"SPENCER LOOK OUT!" Carly screams unfolding a series of shouts and screeches from the both of them.

"AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!" They both shriek while Spencer attempted to stop the car by stepping on the brakes. The rubber scraped on the asphalt surface of the road as the car makes a rough stop, although not without hitting the person in front of them. They both sat in the car in silence, trying to slow the series of breaths that escapes them. Spencer looked at his rear view mirror, seeing a dark figure on the ground. He widened his eyes, immediately turning to Carly to examine her condition.

His little sister was breathing heavily at a rapid pace, and she was shaking. With the most tenderness he could muster up he places a comforting hand on her shoulder, giving her a look of intensity that surprises her. He barely shows this side of him, usually being an eccentric weird older brother occasionally. This just represents how serious he can be at times, this situation did indeed call for a serious Spencer.

"I'll be back alright?" He says, grasping the handle on his car door, pulling it so he could exit. Carly exhales a sharp breath her uncertainty shown in her charcoal eyes.

"Be careful okay?" She asks as if the words weighed the world itself. Spencer nods, smiling softly.

"I'll be right back Kiddo. Don't worry." He says exiting the car and stepping onto the road. The object he hit was flown over the car on impact he guessed, which is why they appeared to have landed quite some distance back. Spencer gulped at the distance between the car and what he hit. He breathed deeply before walking toward the dark figure.

As he steps closer his hands become sweaty and he starts to have an ache in his stomach, just during the time he closed the distance toward the figure he widened his eyes in shock. He hit someone, a living human being and they were _bleeding_.

"Oh my god, oh my god.. Oh my god! OH MY GOD!" He screams as he bent over to check the person's pulse. Spencer grasped the downed figure's wrist noticing the figure's blue eyes droop in and out of consciousness. Spencer became sick in the stomach at the sight of the battered and bloody body that lay before him. The pulse he checked was faint, barely alive.

Spencer examined the person on the ground, torn clothes, a trash bag was wrapped around his torso. He deduced that there was a serious injury there, also noticing the blood leaked out of it. In the moment of examining, Spencer heard what sounded like footsteps behind him. He turned around noticing that it was Carly. She didn't look good. Her usually healthy white, pink toned skin turned green at the sight of the blonde before them.

"Oh my god." She says just before she puked onto the asphalt. Spencer quickly parted her dark locks while she continued to empty out her stomach. After a few moments of continuous vomiting Carly wipes her mouth with the sleeve of her velvet red shirt. She breathed in deeply, tasting the hamburger she had earlier. Ew. Gross.

"Spencer we have to help him!" Carly exclaims getting a nod from the older of the two.

"Okay, we need to take him to a hospital. I'm going to go at top speed to make it there faster." Spencer says carrying the nearly lifeless blonde, walking him to the car. Carly nods seeing Spencer open the back door laying the blonde flat on his back while the Shays entered and drove off.

"Can you check your Pearphone for the nearest hospital?" Spencer asks, using his foot to put pressure onto the gas pedal. Carly gritted her teeth as she pulled up her GPS.

"The nearest one is ten minutes from now. Spencer, I don't know if we'll make it." She says her eyes tearing up from the severity of the situation. Spencer shook his head, they couldn't lose hope.

"Carls, we have to try. Right?" Spencer asks receiving a confirmed nod.

"We'll make it there in five. Better hold on tight okay?" He says as Carly gripped the handle on the side of her door. The urgency of their situation made it more grave, when only they could hear shallow breaths from the blonde in the back, and their car being put to its limits. It turned out today was the day they had to save a life.

* * *

 **2 Weeks Later**

Naruto opened his eyes to see blinding lights clouding his blurry vision. He squinted as the lights made him groan, he tried to lift his arm to rub his blue peripherals but found that he couldn't move them. He wasn't in pain, although his limbs felt heavy, as if someone weighed them down. As time passed while Naruto quickly became bored he started inspecting the room he was in.

The floor was shiny, must have been mopped recently. There were chairs that have been placed on the side of the room. It's been a while since he's seen those. Well, clean chairs anyways. A few moments after he examined what was near him, acknowledging a potted plant sat next to him, as healthy as ever. Wait. Him. Healthy him. What happened to him? Where was he? Why was he here? So many questions, but no way to answer him.

As if to sedate his growing curiosity, he began looking down noticing he wasn't in his usual worn out clothes, feeling exposed as he didn't have undergarments anymore. Although that wasn't the only thing that changed. He felt, better. _Clean_ , almost energized.

Did those two figures do this? Was he somewhere safe? He hoped he was, his condition at the moment has been the best he's ever felt that it made life seem bearable to live again.

Suddenly he felt weak, his eyes started to droop. It took all of his effort alone just to keep his eyelids open. What was happening? Why did he feel so.. What is causing him to feel..

All coherent thoughts seem to leave him as darkness claimed him. The blissful feeling of rest entering his system once again.

* * *

 **4 Weeks Later**

Naruto opened his eyes suddenly, feeling brightness hit him another time. He looked around, noticing he was still in the same room he was in probably a few hours before. Although interested that he was still in the room, he noticed someone else was too. A girl, with dark hair who slightly snored on the chair she was sitting on. The girl was skinny, a healthy thin, with a snowy skin color complimented by her rosy cheeks. Was this the girl who saved him? Is he currently awake in a room with his slumbering savior?

If he was, he had to thank her for being so generous, if it wasn't for her he probably wouldn't even be breathing right now. So, he had to wake her up.

"H-hello.." His voice came out as soft, quiet, weak. Like he's never spoken before. That was odd, surely if he was only in this bed for a few hours his voice wouldn't have been so faint, so inaudible as his voice was. Which made him question how long he had actually been out.

In order to satisfy his growing curiosity he had to somehow wake the girl. But how was he going to do that? Naruto looked around the room, trying to find something that could remotely help him in this situation. He turned his head to the left, noting there was a desk with some sort of machine placed on it. Might be what doctors use to check your health records. Although Naruto wasn't knowledgeable with the latest technology the world has produced. Considering he never had enough money to buy anything like that.

Heck, he never even had a phone. So he wasn't _exactly_ tech savvy. While the technology did seem to interest Naruto, he couldn't really say it caught his eye. But what did though is the box of tissues that lay on the desk next to him. It wasn't there the last time he awoke before. Albeit Naruto was not complaining, he just had to take the tissue box and toss it toward the girl sitting in the chair.

Although that would seem rude, he just didn't have many options here. It was either launch the tissue box at her, or sound like a breathless kangaroo as he tried to call for her to wake up. He liked the former option better.

As Naruto made his decision, he sat up as quickly as he could, slowly making progress, amazing considering how heavy his body felt to him at that moment. Despite the fact that he was as slow as a snail, he sat up all the same. Now all he had to do was get the tissue box, and the plan to wake the girl up would be one step closer to finishing. Shifting his body weight toward the desk he reached out for the tissue box,, his fingertips barely brushing it before he fell back onto the bed breathless.

It's difficult to move when your body feels so strained, so heavy, he could barely lift himself now even if his body felt healthier. The effort it took to do this was strenuous to him, emotionally and physically. Precisely the only thing that helped him here was the sheer willpower Naruto had to even attempt this conquest. After some thought, he sat back up grunting as he reached for the tissue box again, croaking as he stretched his arm for the box.

Luckily he was the only one awake, because he would honestly be embarrassed if someone found out he was squawking like a hummingbird on their first sugar rush. That was why he had been glad he only had an unconscious companion to deal with. As Naruto wheezed once again, feeling his pride damper from his humiliating noises he projected, he finally grasped the tissue box, silently cheering in victory.

Afterwards he turned around immediately stretching his arm back to aim at the sleeping dark haired girl. But as soon as he turned around he heard someone giggle. His breath soon caught in his throat realizing the girl he was supposed to wake had already awoken. Feeling the heat rise to his tan whiskered cheeks he hid the tissue box behind him, trying to appear inconspicuous. The girl just laughed even more at his antics, holding her stomach as it started to hurt from the continuous laughter.

"So. Um.. whatcha got there?" She chokes out in laughing breaths as Naruto scowled from being found out. This situation was seriously embarrassing.

"I don't mean to be rude but did you seriously consider throwing a _tissue box_ at me?" She asks slightly giggling at Naruto's frown.

"What do you mean? What tissue box, I don't see any around here." Naruto lied unconvincingly finding that his voice wasn't quiet anymore. Although the girl just stood up, reaching behind him to grab the tissue box. Naruto sighed as he saw her raise her eyebrow teasingly.

"Oh, so what I'm holding right now _isn't_ a tissue box." She says as Naruto shifted his eyes away towards the wall, his blush of embarrassment growing immensely.

"Um, yeah. That's my um.. Cloth collection." He tried only making the girl laugh even harder than before.

"So, you're the cloth collector huh? Tell me cloth collector, do these pieces of cloth seem valuable to you?" She asks holding up the tissue box for emphasis. Naruto almost started to smile at her humor, the only obstacle holding him back from doing so was his past. In all honestly he didn't know if he would truly smile again, to laugh. To be happy. It would take a long time, possibly ages for him to surmount his melancholy side. His emotions were almost inconsolable, even if his life has been nothing but a tragedy, Naruto could always look to his headband to relieve him, if only for a brief second of his misery.

Wait a minute, the headband. Where was it?

' _Oh crap! Where did it go?!'_ Naruto thought screaming inside his head as energy flooded into his system. Naruto immediately sat up flipping over his pillows and such so that he could find his inanimate councilor, his comforter, the only memory of the life he used to have. The blonde couldn't be without his headband, ever. The importance of the gift his parents gave him has played an important role in his life that has helped him in dire situations, assisted in keeping him motivated. Now that he didn't have the headband with him, he just couldn't be.. He couldn't be Naruto.

He needed to find it. Immediately.

As Naruto searched for his headband in panic, The girl began to raise her eyebrows in surprise at the amount of intensity he produced. He was looking for something, but what was he looking for? Her curiosity peaked she began to ask just that.

"You um, looking for something?" She asked raising an eyebrow. Naruto looked at her frowning after he remembered he forgot she was in the room with him, maybe she knew something about his lost headband's location.

"Yeah, have you seen a black headband, shiny silver metal with an engraving of a leaf marked in the middle?" He asked, a little bit of hope seeping into his voice. Although the dark haired girl didn't notice the slight, almost abysmal change.

"Sorry, I haven't but I'll ask the doctor about that. Be right back." She says standing up and heading for the steel door to exit. Once reaching toward the handle to open the door she heard Naruto's voice, which was unusually quiet. She immediately turned around, wanting to find out what he had said to her.

"I'm sorry, did you say something? I didn't hear you the first time." She asked seeing his blue eyes look up at her, showing the raging inferno inside those ocean peripherals. His look became so intense that it had started to make her feel warm, and so calm, that it was attracting her to him. If anything she felt like the look could have placed her under a hypnosis. That abrupt feeling frightened her.

"My name is Naruto Uzumaki. Thank you for saving me while also staying by my bedside as I was unconscious. I appreciate that. And since you've done this for me, i will in turn try to make it up to you for being so kind, so generous. I promise I will repay your kindness. Even if it takes me a lifetime to do so." The girl widened her eyes, taking in a sharp breath she didn't know she was holding in. His words, the way he said them were so passionate, so soft and eye opening.

Her stomach flipped over at how he was so pure, so gentle. She's never heard someone speak with so much conviction, it sort of inspired her. What she was inspired for she didn't know. But what she knew was that this guy was incredibly sweet. Sure he was a stranger that she knew nothing about, and why he was out alone in the middle of the night that day, but that didn't mean she couldn't be friendly towards him.

Giving a smile towards Naruto she pulled on the handle of the door, stopping just as she opened it midway.

Without turning, she uttered these last few words.

"Trust me, you don't have to do any of that I swear, and by the way, my name is Carly Shay. I'll be back before you know it okay?" She says exiting the room, smiling to herself as the door closes with a soft creak. Naruto only looked up, taking this time to think.

 _'Her name is Carly Shay. That's the name of the girl who saved me. I'll repay her I swear it.'_ Naruto thought as he lifted his arms, resting it under the back of his head. His injuries so far have healed almost completely. He guessed he would have to stay in the building for a few days until he's fully recovered. He didn't mind, it was safe here. And with him not doing much, he would have more time to think of some way to make it up to her for saving his life.

 _'Carly Shay. The sound of that name is.. Nice.'_ Naruto concluded as he kept staring up at the alabaster ceiling, waiting until Carly came back with the news of his headband's whereabouts. He hoped she could find it.

It was the only thing left from who he was after all, and it would have been a shame if he lost a part of himself wouldn't it?

* * *

An extraordinarily tall man, with pure milky white hair that traversed down toward his lower back stepped around a street corner holding up a flier. It had a picture of a tiny blonde child with color of the sky for eyes. The man placed the flier onto a building, looking for another street that could potentially attract a person's attention. He sighed, he had been looking for that boy ever since that accident happened. The thought of that day sent chills down his spine, he couldn't imagine the pain the blonde was in now, how he felt about it all. It must have been terrible, surviving an accident your parents did not. Truly a frightening thought.

While he thought, he continued to walk as his red haori swayed catching the feel of the soft morning breeze. He squinted his eyes at the building he looked for the red marks that traversed down his angular face also following suit. The large man gritted his teeth solemnly, he hoped his search would end soon, he had to find the little boy no matter the cost. He would do him and his parents that much.

 _'Don't worry Naruto, I'll find you so you wouldn't have to be alone. Not anymore. I just hope you're alive out there kid.'_ He sighed stepping down toward the concrete layered street, the faith he felt for the blonde's survival never wavering.

His journey to find Naruto started years ago, around a month or two after the death of Naruto's parents. He never stopped looking and he would persevere to find him. No matter the cost, even if it was by foot if he had to.

Soon he moved even further toward the street, the sound of his red Japanese sandals filling the silent area while the large man made haste, continuing to travel trying to find the young blonde once again.

He had to be close, he could just feel the end of his journey nearing.

 **I was kind of iffy on the editing of this chapter, although I enjoyed writing it all the same. So how did I do? Was it good, bad, great, or terrible? How can I improve these chapters if you don't review? :(**

 **But seriously though, I did NOT expect the last chapter to be noticed by you all so quickly. It made me grin like a circus clown at how you guys gave that last chapter so much attention. I actually blushed **GASP. Seriously I think I even read those reviews multiple times, you do not realize how happy I became because of you all for being awesome readers!**

 **Now, that I established how immensely I appreciated you guys I still have to ask:**

 **What's your favorite ice cream, and if you want to answer (this is completely optional) your favorite topping? Tell me in a review please! Now please have a wonderful day Love!**


	3. Chapter 3: iMove in

**Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Naruto or iCarly. Otherwise I'd be rolling in so much dough. Like cookie dough since I would be so rich that I could buy all those delicious cookie dough sweets! Oh, I wish I could.. Actually I might do that after I'm done with this chapter!**

 **Hello my lovely readers. I am back again handing y'all the drug that is my story. But before I do that, I will have to say how much I appreciate your reviews! They were filled with delicious sweets and beautiful comments about the story in general. I am eternally grateful to you all. Now I hope you enjoy!**

Chapter 3: iMove in

* * *

She stepped outside of the steel door in search for the nearest adult around her. Turning her head to the left she saw Spencer speaking with Dr. Dresdin who was wearing a white coat with a blue dress shirt underneath along with beige slacks for his lower wear and black dress shoes. Carly ran up to them in a hurry.

"Spencer!" The aforementioned man turned around with a slight wave to his younger sibling.

"Hey, kiddo. How's he doing?" He asked concern written in his eyes. Carly merely smiled, something both adults took notice of.

"He's awake. And he asked me to see where his headband is. Do you know where I can find it?" She asked hopefully. She didn't want to return empty handed to the person who was looking for his headband like it was his lifeline. She was soon relieved when Dr. Dresdin dug into his pocket, pulling out the exact headband she was looking for.

"Is this the headband you're looking for?" The doctor asked. Carly nodded with a grin on her face, taking the headband from the doctor.

"Yes! This is the one! Thanks Dr. Dresdin!" She said running back to Naruto's room. Spencer raised his eyebrow at the doctor.

"Wait, why did you have the headband in your pocket? Wouldn't that get you in trouble for having a patient's belongings?" The adult shay asked the doctor who sighed in annoyance.

"You sure asked a lot of questions today. But to answer you, I kept the headband because it looked valuable. And I don't trust too many people here to take the headband for themselves." the doctor answered walking away. Spencer just frowned before heading into the room that Carly entered. He opened up the steel door to witness Carly handing the blonde his prized possession.

"Thank you so much Carly! I don't know what I would've done without this." Naruto said looking at his accessory sentimentally before tying the black elastic headband around his neck, taking pride in the fact he had it back. Carly just smiled at the blonde.

"It's the least I can do. After all we did kind of hit you with our car." She said as she heard her brother laugh sheepishly. They weren't ever going to forget _that_ experience surely.

"Yeah, sorry about that by the way. You see um, I have a bad history with cars.. and people.." The man said rubbing his head sheepishly. Naruto simply nodded glancing quizzically at the man.

"I'm Spencer Shay. Carly's older brother. What's your name?" He asked placing a hand in front of him, gesturing for a handshake. Naruto looked at the appendage in front of him before shaking it as he introduced himself.

"I'm Naruto, Naruto Uzumaki. I'm grateful to you both, truly this means so much to me." Naruto told them, his blue orbs showing a light that he hasn't felt in his previous years. Spencer hearing this smiled before patting Naruto's shoulder laying his hand there which attracted the attention of the blonde. He looked up into Spencer's dark irises wondering what he was doing.

"It's no problem. But taking you to this hospital so you can recover isn't all we're going to do for you." Spencer said standing proudly, receiving looks of surprise from the blonde and brunette.

"It isn't?" The two teens asked simultaneously, briefly looking at each other in surprise before gazing at the tall man. Spencer hearing that had a gleam in his eye.

"Indeed it is not! What we're going to do for you next Naruto is that we're going to take you in, so you can live with us!" Spencer proclaimed excitedly. Naruto and Carly went slack-jawed at the man. Naruto soon waved his hands in front of him in a panic.

"Oh, you don't have to do that! You've done enough for me as it is. You took me into the hospital to heal, helped me regain my headband, and now you want me to stay with you? I don't think I can just-" Spencer cut him off mid-sentence with a wave of his hand.

"Pish posh! Don't worry it'll be great. After all, I could always use a helping hand with my sculptures." Spencer said giddily. Carly nodded to this, she didn't think it was a bad idea at all.

"Yeah, we can't just leave you out in the streets. Come on it'll be fun!" Carly giggled as Naruto frowned. He wasn't too sure if this was a good idea, but the two were insistent on the idea of having him stay. Naruto couldn't just decline them.

"I mean if you say so.." Naruto uttered unsure. Although he did need a place to stay, he didn't want to freeload off of these people. It would just feel wrong, but then again, this could serve as an opportunity to repay them for their kindness. Yeah, it was an ideal plan. He'll help them with whatever they needed and he'll leave as to not burden them for long after he had finally fulfilled his duty to Carly and Spencer.

"Awesome! We should head out now. Dr. Dresdin told me yesterday that if you woke up that we should get you out of here as soon as possible, so you can start getting used to moving extensively again." Spencer informed as Naruto nodded pulling the sheets off of his form and climbing out of the hospital bed. He wobbled a little before standing upright. His muscles felt like they were new. As if the medical staff just installed some new limbs within his body. He guessed that's what happened when you've been unconscious for a while. You would be under so much suspended movement that your body would be too used to being incapacitated until you were able to 'walk it off' per say.

"We bought you some clothes like a week ago. We placed them in the bathroom through that door." Carly smiled pointing toward the oak colored entrance. Naruto nodded entering the bathroom. He saw that the bathroom lights were already turned on as he saw a white "JanSport Right Pack Backpack" sitting on the bathroom counter. He raised an eyebrow at the backpack. Believing that his clothes were inside the bag.

He unzipped the backpack noticing that everything fitted perfectly inside the backpack all clothes folded and such. He noticed that his shoes lay on top of all the clothes as he started taking everything out and putting the clothes on.

A moment or two later Naruto emerged from the bathroom in his new attire getting a whistle from Spencer. Carly merely widened her eyes in surprise at how cute the blonde looked. Naruto was dressed in a black long-sleeved shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, along with dark blue skinny jeans and black high top Vans, with his headband still hung around his neck. Naruto smiled as he turned around so they can get a full view of his apparel.

The Shays nodded in approval, Naruto looked good in black, it seemed it fits the young Uzumaki.

"Alright guys let's check out of the hospital and head to the mall. We're gonna shop for some clothes, ones that can fit you at least." Spencer said as they head toward the front desk, exiting the building in hopes to find the blonde some clothes.

* * *

Seattle Mall

Naruto stared in awe at the gigantic building that stood in front of his small in comparison 5"8 stature. Naruto became giddy, he was literally at a mall. A place where you are able to shop for whatever you desire, whether it be delectable foods, sleek clothes that will fit whatever you may fancy, and things that are most desirable in the world in general! Naruto swore that he was bouncing on his feet in anticipation. It had been way too long since he had been shopping, his inner child was starting to show. Carly saw his twitching stance and giggled at the tall blonde before grasping his wrist, dragging him inside the tall structure.

"Come on, let's get you something nice." She smiled, receiving a shy smile from the blonde in return. Soon the duo moved deeper into the confines of the mall, looking for whatever fancied them. Carly picked out some things for herself, although the shopping mostly consisted of things they took out for Naruto. Much to Carly's surprise Naruto's favorite color is orange, so they picked out things mostly consisting of that color.

Although Carly insisted that they picked out other garments in different colors which Naruto (albeit forcefully) agreed to. Soon afterwards the two teens soon sat on a bench basking over their activities that they had done during the day. Naruto smiled softly as he looked over the clothes Carly helped pick out for him.

"That was a lot of fun, it's been years since I've been shopping you know.." He confessed rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. Carly simply smiled back, glad she could make the blonde happy.

"I'm glad you liked it. Think we picked out some pretty nice clothes? She asked as Naruto nodded.

"Well yeah, you did pick them out after all. You've got great taste dattebayo." Naruto said as Carly raised an eyebrow in response to what he just said.

"Dattebayo? What does that mean?" Naruto chuckled a little timidly at her question, a little embarrassed at how his verbal tic slipped out so easily.

"Well, it's a verbal tic I guess you can call it. It slips out from time to time." Naruto answered receiving an expression of understanding from the brunette. Moments later the duo sat in comfortable silence while they were being alone together. Until Carly suddenly had a craving, a craving for something sweet, creamy and delectable to all individuals that prosper on this Earth.

"You know what I can go for right now?" She asked the blonde who raised an eyebrow in question.

"Ice cream, I don't know why but I'm just craving it right now. Wanna go get some?" Her answer was a bright smile from the male. It's been way too long since Naruto has had anything cream related, the only thing he's had that was close to creamy was leftover mushroom cream soup he found inside a dumpster at the back of a restaurant. So hearing about ice cream made his day all the better.

Both teens walked around the mall, looking around the area for anything ice cream related until they saw a Ben and Jerry's, walking over to the stand anticipating the ice cream they would receive.

"I'm so excited, I might not be able to contain myself." Naruto admitted his blue eyes gleaming. Carly giggled at the newfound enthusiasm the blonde found within himself. Shortly the teens arrived at the ice cream stand to see a man in front of a register smiling at the duo.

"Hello, what would you two like?" The man asked as Carly looked up at the menu.

"I would like a strawberry cone. What do you want Naruto?" Carly asked as Naruto scratched his head in confusion. He didn't know what he would have wanted, they all seemed to be delicious but it was so hard to choose between one of them. So he settled for his favorite color in his decision making.

"Do you have any ice cream cones in orange?" The blonde grinned getting a smile out of the ice cream employee.

"I have just the thing. Hold it you two, I'll be with you shortly." The employee winked while the two teenagers waited for their order.

Not too long after they ordered did they receive their ice cream cones, Carly's strawberry and Naruto's mango ice cream. Although they noticed that the man placed a third serving of ice cream. It was a large sundae with two red spoons that dug into the chocolate covered vanilla. Carly raised an eyebrow at the sundae, they didn't order that.

"Oh, excuse me. Who is this for? There's no one else here." Carly said glancing around the area seeing how the ice cream place was devoid of all life. The uniformed employee chuckled at her question a sly twinkle of his eye showcasing itself.

"You didn't know? Today's special is that all couples who purchase cones from our ice cream shop receive a free Couple's Sundae." The man informed. Naruto frowned at the information. _'Did he assume we were a couple just because we're hanging out alone? I guess anyone could make an assumption like that. Although I've never thought of her in that regard, sure she isn't unattractive but I don't know her that well..'_ Naruto thought shaking his head at the man's words.

"Oh, but you have us mistaken. You see we're not a couple, me and Carly are just friends." Naruto told the man who blinked in surprise.

"Really? Well you guys would make a great match! At least take the sundae, it's on the house after all. I would hate to see it go to waste. " The man shrugged pushing the sundae further toward them, getting it to slide on the velvet counter. The duo blushed at his comment, before taking the sundae. Nodding their thanks.

"W-we should probably give this to Spencer you know.." Naruto said getting a nod from the rosy red faced girl.

"Y-yeah, good idea." Carly agreed as they exited the mall. going through the automatic sliding doors and heading toward Spencer's car.

"You guys ready to head back?" He said leaning on his black car. The duo nodded as Naruto gave Spencer the sundae.

"Hey thanks. Wait, why are there two spoons in this?" He asked getting a shrug from the teens. Spencer simply waved it off thinking it wasn't of importance as they entered the car.

"Well, let's head on back. We'll get you settled alright?" Spencer said to Naruto who smiled at his words. With that the trio drove off.

* * *

Bushwell Plaza 

Contrary to what Spencer said earlier, he actually took Naruto to other establishments such as a barber shop to cut down some of Naruto's lengthy overgrown blonde locks to keep it in fine grooming shape. Carly also suggested Naruto get treated to the nearest spa, much to Spencer's discomfort and Naruto's curiosity. Once they were finished there, Naruto felt like a new man much to his surprise afterwards, Spencer thought his statement held a bucketful of irony while Carly smirked victoriously. Later they arrived at the apartment complex all of them expressing different things. One being a grinning adult, a surprised teenage male, and a relieved female teenager.

"And I welcome thee! To Casa De Shay!" Spencer spoke in a whimsical voice much to each teenager's amusement. Carly raised an eyebrow at her older brother while placing Naruto's bagged clothes and other accessories down on the couch, Naruto doing the same.

"Casa De Shay?" She asked in an amused mocking tone. Spencer, who felt his little sister making fun of him sighed.

"It was all I came up with on the way up here okay, jeez." He admitted folding his arms with a grumpy facial expression. Naruto simply tuned out the duo while he looked around the room in awe. It felt so abnormal to be in a building after all these years, feeling the wooden floor's smooth surface beneath his sneakers was an alien-like feeling to the blonde. He glanced at their couch, the slightest hints of intrigue displaying on his features.

 _'That couch looks so comforting with its blend of colors and cushions, I can fall asleep just thinking about it.'_ Once done Naruto took a peek at the Shay's connecting kitchen, mostly staring at the fridge and what it may contain inside. As his mind roamed to the fridge, and continued thinking about food, his stomach chose that moment to rumble shocking the Shay duo out of whatever conversation they were having. Naruto turned to the duo slowly, his heartbeat increasing the more he rounded toward them.

When the blonde finally found himself face to face with Spencer and Carly he noticed that the shorter of the siblings giggled, while the taller simply smiled. Spencer turned toward Carly and nudged her toward Naruto's things, doing the same with the whiskered teen next to her.

"Carly, how about you help Naruto settle in your room upstairs? I'll get dinner ready for us." Spencer said before noticing the conflicted face the two youngsters were expressing. Carly was about to turn down the idea. although Naruto beat her to it.

"Spencer, I appreciate all that you're doing for me, I really do. But, isn't this idea to move into Carly's room a little unreasonable? I mean, I can just sleep on the couch in this room right here just fine. I don't want to disturb anyone if I don't have to." Naruto said justifying his reasoning with a sheepish smile. He looked into Spencer's dark brown eyes soon meeting an unflinching gaze from the man.

Naruto had to admit, even with the things he's seen, the fights he's endured, and everything that has happened to him, he was still unnerved by the look in his eyes.

"Naruto trust me, the couch in Carly's room is so much better than the one here in the living room, that couch was literally made for a God's butt to sit on, and when you sleep on it? It's like marshmallows softening around your body in pure awesomeness." Spencer said and Naruto raised an eyebrow at that weirdly stated sentence, before speaking again.

"But-"

"No buts! You're going to move up there into that room right now, or you're not going to eat my super duper amazingly delicious spaghetti taco dinner." Spencer ordered making Naruto widen his eyes in confusion.

"Spaghetti tac-?"

"MOVE IT YOUNG MAN!"

"SIR YES SIR!" Naruto saluted briskly, and at lightning speed immediately grabbed all of his things and ran up the stairs, heading toward Carly's room, wherever that was. Carly meanwhile looked up the stairs in exasperation.

"I'll show him where it is." She sighed jogging up the stairs to catch up with the blonde.

"Have fun kiddo." Spencer chuckled, heading toward the kitchen and putting on an apron to get started with the cooking.

* * *

Carly arrived to the door of her room to witness Naruto's jaw being dropped in astonishment while standing still with all of his things laying on the floor. Carly raised her eyebrow in surprise for two reasons; one, he actually found her room, two, he never expressed this intense emotion of shock since he came here. She walked behind him and grasped his arm in comfort, knocking him out of his surprise.

"Are you okay?" She asked her chocolate eyes looking up to meet his ocean blue. Naruto didn't immediately answer her, instead choosing to grasp one of her pink fluffy pillows that lay on the couch. Looking around some more he immediately noted that there were other feminine objects and products that decorated the room, giving it a colorful glow to it. He peered at the pillow, as if studying it, his eyes closing before clutching the pillow. He took one deep breath taking the time to smell the calm sedative scent of flowers right before placing the pillow into it's original position.

"I haven't seen a bedroom in over ten years. Ever since I was but an infant. I just figured I could take the time to appreciate it." He laughed after finishing with his sentence, glancing down at her with his blue orbs shut and a wide grin on his whiskered face. She took a moment of examination, that not even he noticed with how fast it went by. She instantly knew that the smile he held for her in that moment was fake.

The fact that it was saddened her. But still, she put on her own smile too.

"Well.. Don't worry about that. There will be time to appreciate this room for as long as you like after we're done organizing your things. Besides you'll be living here for a while, if you don't find the time to bask in it now, you will later." She smiled at the blonde, getting a chuckle from the teen. He rubbed his head sheepishly as he went to take out his clothes from the shopping bags they had.

"I guess you're right about that, but I still feel like this is so unreal. I mean everything is happening so fast. Literally this morning I was fussing over losing my headband, and now I'm here unpacking clothes that I didn't buy, yet I chose. Now I am in a home that I will be living in for who knows how long.. I'm just trying to say that with everything going on and how it's happening so fast that I'm trying to take it slow and feel myself in this moment. Try and take in the fact that I'm actually here, and that I'm not dreaming this all up." Naruto sighed placing some ruffled clothes onto the couch.

While he was doing that Carly seemed to think about his words, while helping Naruto with organizing his belongings. They placed all of his things in the remaining space in her dresser, which somehow fitted perfectly despite the amount of clothes they bought for him.

Naruto breathed in an air of relief once they finished up on getting his belongings set up. He looked over at Carly and smiled at her.

"Thanks for helping me out I appreciate it." He said sitting down on the colorful couch he would be sleeping on from then on, and he had to say the cushions felt amazing on his butt to sit on.

' _Spencer was right it is marshmallowy soft! Definitely made for a god._.' Naruto thought getting giddy. Carly plopped herself down right next him, a satisfying sigh escaping her glossed lips. She looked up at the taller blonde boy her face showing signs of approval.

"Of course, we are going to be roommates you know." She said playfully nudging his whiskered cheek. Naruto nodded in agreement a soft smiling showing upon his lips. As they gazed into each other's respective eyes, just enjoying the company they both had for one another.

Soon, they both opened their mouths to say something but before anything could be said the two teens heard an echo come down from the hallway.

"Dinner's ready! Come and eat up this fantastic dinner big o'l Spencer made!" The two teens looked at each other and shrugged, heading downstairs to get their dinner.

Once they arrive downstairs they see Spencer wearing a chef's hat and a white apron with the saying "No great meal is mess free." Which garnered two differing reactions, one being amusement and the other being confusion. Naruto's was the latter.

"Wearing your special spaghetti taco apron and chef's hat again?" She asked a giggle escaping her. Spencer just smiled excitedly.

"Of course! How could I not?! Naruto's living with us now, so why shouldn't I wear my special apron and hat?" Spencer asked while Naruto continued to display confusion. This got a giggle out of the Shay duo.

"Okay come on, let's eat!" Spencer said taking out the food, which included a tray full of taco shells, and spaghetti in a big bowl. Spencer placed all three of them plates on the table. Afterwards he made all of them tacos, placing the pristine amount of spaghetti in each taco shell. The more Spencer did this, the more Naruto's stomach seemed to rumble which luckily, the two Shays did not notice.

When Spencer finally finished up with preparations he gestured to the tacos and said three magical words that made Naruto's heart skip a beat.

"Okay, dig in!" He said grabbing a taco shell full of spaghetti and placing it in his mouth, enjoying it's succulent flavor. Naruto gulped at the sight, and he noticed Carly taking a bite out of her's taking joy in the taste of the food before her, even going as far as to moan in pure bliss at the way the taste danced on her taste buds.

Meanwhile Naruto stood still in his seat, which was across from Carly while Spencer sat at the end of the table. The blonde gulped nervously before taking in his hand the spaghetti taco on his plate. The shell was fresh, having a hard but easily breakable texture, the noodles inside with ground beef and spaghetti sauce with other unknown ingredients seemed to make the shell warmer than a lone shell would have been. Making it perfect. As Naruto continues to examine his spaghetti taco both Spencer and Carly paused in their eating to pay attention to the blonde, who was still speculating on taking a bite of his food.

Seemingly after an eternity has passed between the trio Naruto held up the spaghetti taco sideways into his mouth, the same way the Shay siblings ate their tacos. Once the taco was placed into Naruto's jaw he took a bite of the taco, slowly crunching and munching on the hard shell, and the spaghetti contents inside.

The taste of the hard shell was a little salty, and the spaghetti noodles which was complimented by ground beef and spaghetti sauce tasted magnificent, in a way he couldn't describe even. Although he didn't have to, because Spencer had asked the one question that was most anticipated from the two siblings.

"That spaghetti taco is super duper amazingly delicious right?" He asked knowingly already guessing the answer based off of the way Naruto's pupils dilated in sure utter euphoria. It had been more than a decade since he ate a cooked meal like this one and he was going to _savor_ this moment for the rest of his life. He could only give a nod to the older male as he quickly dug into more spaghetti tacos, catching the two siblings off guard at his sheer speed, before shrugging and digging into more tacos themselves.

Once all was said and done, the trio bid each other goodnight heading to their respective rooms, and to Carly and Naruto; their respective rooms equal the same bedroom. Once the two teens both changed into more comfortable clothes they went off to their claimed resting spaces, Naruto's place on the amazingly soft marshmallowy couch and Carly's on her feathery cozy pink bed.

Carly was quick to sleep, blissfully unconscious to the world around her. Naruto noticed she snored in her sleep, which made him smile softly. It was a soft snore one that he had never heard before, after all he usually slept around old men who he knew had a tendency to make kill attempts on him. A good example would be Bates who would be the most recent and the most determined man. Hell, Naruto knew him for most of his life, going on his eighth year of 'pleasant acquaintance' with the man.

 _'I wonder what happened to him, the bastard.'_ Naruto sighed staring up at the darkness above him, he wouldn't be able to sleep this night he figured. So, seeing as he wasn't going to sleep he was going to spend some time thinking, most definitely at a place that wasn't in Carly's room.

On this note, Naruto picked himself off of the couch taking off the blanket and getting off of the set of pillows that Carly had provided for him and tip toed toward the door. He was careful to be as silent as he could so that he wouldn't wake the teenager in her bed.

He took one last look at the darkness of the room before him, then he turned the door knob, opening the door and closing it right behind him.

A pair of chocolate irises opened up at the subtle sound of a door creaking. Immediately Carly stood up out of her bed, rubbing her brown eyes to wake herself out of her tired stupor. She glanced over to where the door was and knew she heard it creak. She couldn't have been mistaken on that. Did Naruto leave? Where did he go?

"Naruto?" She whispered hoping her assumptions weren't true. Once she was met with the sound of silence she panicked and placed on her pink fluffy house slippers which comforted her as she headed out of the door to chase after the blonde in the cold starry night of Seattle.

Heading out into the hall she heard creaks of wood, most likely from the sound of the blonde's footsteps. The Shay teenager quickly and quietly followed him seeing where he was going.

"Naruto?" She whispered, the whisker faced blonde didn't seem to hear her so she continued to trail him in hopes to satisfy that young and curious mind of her's.

After going through different rooms in her apartment she finally found Naruto in a certain place she had used before, to think mostly, whether it be about boys, school, or other things about her life. The fact that Naruto was in that exact place right now surprised her. She approached him as he leaned out on the balcony's railing of the building.

"Naruto?" She said softly, getting a slight turn of the head from the blue eyed boy. He frowned seeing her, before looking out toward the glowing buildings of Seattle, taking in the city's beauty.

"Hey Carly. Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you." He said still looking on at the city, the glow of the lights shining on his deep ocean orbs. Carly sighed and took some space on the rail to his left side, leaning on it as well.

"Why did you come here of all places?" She asked her chocolate irises looking at the beautiful, enchanting glow of the city in front of her as the lights from the buildings shine bright. It made the night seem comfortable under the shining stars from above.

Naruto chuckled at her question, almost as if he was bitter.

"I just came here to think, thought it would be the perfect spot." She laughed at his words, those were the exact same things she said to Spencer when she was younger.

"It really is." Much to her amusement and surprise she used the words that Spencer said to her in this situation.

"I guess I needed a moment to really take this in. Carly, before I moved here today I was basically a dumpster diver, but I looked for food. I was very poor, I had to spend most of my days looking for things I needed; whether it be food, water, clothes and other things that were necessary for my survival. I even had to fight older men and women for the things that I had." At this point he seemed to grip the balcony harshly at the memory, at how painful it was.

"Now I'm here, in this beautiful home of your's getting taken care of, receiving food that didn't come in the form of another person's leftovers, sifting through multiple garbage bags in different dumpsters around any place I could find. This unexpected shift in living arrangements would astonish anyone. Yet it all happened so fast. I can't seem to really say how grateful I am to you and Spencer. Thank you so much." His eyes glowed even more than the buildings that night did, and Carly was entranced from his eyes. She placed the palm of her hand on his cheek and turned his head toward her.

"You don't have to worry. You're not alone anymore, we'll help you get on your feet and live normally again." She said clutching his hand, noticing how big it was in comparison to her's, not forgetting how much that thought comforted her.

To be fair, she was surprised on this sudden change too. Here she was talking to someone she had just met hours ago, and yet it felt so right, like he already belonged there. It kind of scared her at the fact that he seemed to blend into their household as if he had been living there for years. The dinner they had together was well spent with good conversation, which mostly consisted of Naruto learning things that he had been missing out on for the whole decade. Yet, as he learned he seemed to make up his own conclusions and thoughts that were correct even. Like some sort of genius.

Naruto leaned into her clutching her hand and embraced her with his other, placing his hand on her lower back, which sent a subtle shock of warmth to her. She didn't know what it was, or why it was but there was no place she would rather have been in that moment of silence.

"You're right. I shouldn't have to think about being alone and about how bad my past was. I should be focusing on what is happening now and what I will need to do in the future. _Thank you so much._ " He whispered the last part into her ear, the gratitude seeping into his voice which warmed her up inside. She tightened her hug in that moment, giving out a tiny giggle.

"Of course, we are roommates now you know." She said widening his eyes. Those were the words she had said earlier. Naruto chuckled at her words, before letting go of her and looking over toward the door at which he entered from. He didn't notice the small frown she wore the moment his warmth left her.

"Let's head back to bed, I think we both could use some well deserved sleep." He smiled at her. She nodded before a rosy blush spread to her cheeks.

"Yeah, but if you want.. If it could help you out with your thoughts, you can sleep in my bed tonight.." She said hesitantly at which Naruto raised a blonde eyebrow to.

"But only for tonight!" She said quickly which Naruto seemed to look confused at.

"Are you sure? I mean it's your bed.."

"Yes, if it would help you sleep, besides we're-"

"Roommates I know. Thank you Carly." Naruto grinned taking her hand into his and dragging her to their room. Naruto slipped into her cozy pink bed as she started to head toward the couch he was sleeping on, right before he grabbed her wrist and pulled her under the covers shocking her.

"W-what are you doing?" She asked surprised. Naruto blushed at the question before responding.

"It's your bed. I-I mean I wouldn't be entirely comfortable if I had it all to myself, since this was originally your's after all." He said nervously at which she frowned.

"It's okay. It's only for tonight. I'll sleep on the couch so you won't have to worry." She started to move toward the couch before Naruto held her wrist and dragged her into bed.

"Carly, please. Will you stay here with me tonight?" She couldn't see it but she swore his eyes were expressing how much his voice was pleading. She blushed right before slipping under the covers with a nod. But with how dark it was she wasn't sure Naruto would have seen her do such a gesture.

Carly turned her body opposite of Naruto's as she started to close her eyes, right when she felt his masculine hand on her side as he unintentionally looked for comfort within her, she simply turned around to face toward him finding comfort within him as well. They both couldn't properly form a coherent thought to argue with what their bodies were doing in their unflinching desire. The next thing you know, the duo slept in each other's arms under the blanket covers.

At that moment they both thought the same exact thing.

 _'Right now. There's no place I'd rather be._ '

 **(A:N I'm very sorry it took so long, but tell me. Was it worth the wait? I would appreciate what you would think, so please tell me in a review! Thank you for reading the chapter my lovely, beautiful and handsome readers!)**


	4. Chapter 4: iEnter a Tournament

**Disclaimer: I doth not own any part of Naruto or iCarly, but we already did knoweth yond fact, right?**

 **(A:N Honestly, I thought my Shakespearean was pretty good. Although I don't own that either. I am also appreciative of all of your reviews! Makes me happy receiving such support. Hope you enjoy the chapter!)**

Tan eyelids opened to reveal twin ocean orbs staring at white rosy features of a teenage girl. She appeared to be blissfully asleep in an unconscious euphoria, looking as peaceful as ever. Naruto's cheeks heated up, not because of the sight of her, but because of how close they were. Her face was merely centimeters away, her breath being warm as her mouth was slightly open due to how she snored in her sleep. Naruto smiled, feeling so much comfort in the bed he was lying in.

He could lay there forever he figured, maybe even head back to sleep before the day could truly begin. So, he would do just that, slip back into his blissfully rest. He closed both eyes, embracing the darkness that greeted them with nothing else but content acceptance.

That is, until an aroma snuck into his nose.

What was that plentiful smell? That scent that seemed to have alerted all of Naruto's senses? Whatever it was, it smelled eerily familiar. It was a warm scent, like a soupy substance. But what kind of substance could bring such warmth to his body? His memory was hazy but it was scratching at his brain just thinking about it. He looked down at the bed that he slept in, and then he glanced at the serene sight of Carly in front of him, still blissfully unaware of the world around her.

He didn't want to get up.

But, if he didn't he wouldn't figure out what that nagging fragrance that polluted the air was.

Although, this bed was really soft, and the girl he slept next to was a very pretty sight.

Decisions, decisions..

"Fuck it." He muttered, carefully slipping out of bed so as not to disturb the teenage girl laying in the double layered feather mattress. He figured that he couldn't go back to sleep anyways, and this feeling of familiarity was seriously bothering him. So, he decided to investigate, find out what's hounding at his brain before he drives himself crazy thinking of the possibilities.

Naruto rubbed his eyes to rid himself of whatever exhaustion he felt from being fresh out of the bed, sometimes he felt like he deliberately gets himself out of the most comfortable situations that other human beings would jump at the chance to stay in. But if he kept slothing around all day, then what could he get done?

Nothing. Not a damn thing would get done. Such a shame though. Naruto couldn't just lay around all day in his own comfort most of the time. He just wasn't a lazy person in general and that definitely won't change any time soon.

Funny, he was sure that he had a friend who was the exact opposite on things like that. A friend that would just lie down on his house roof and look up at the clouds all day. He would watch them all the time, gaze at the clouds until night came and the stars lit up the sky. It had been a long time since he had conversed with that certain someone.

What was his name again? Shidon? Shin? Shia? He guessed it had been too long, because his name had all been forgotten. Maybe if he ever saw him he could put the pieces together.

On that note, Naruto had arrived downstairs, his exhaustion leaving him after he had finished his rain of thoughts on past things.

What he saw was a bedraggled young man rubbing his eyes tiredly while stirring a pot full of a boiling brown colored liquid which had noodles inside of it. The man was currently wearing a pink apron with a t-shirt and gray sweatpants along with purple fuzzy house slippers. He gave out a loud yawn while stretching, scratching his disorderly hair as he stared into the boiling water lifelessly, rubbing his eyes to rid him of his drowsiness.

He was obviously a distinguished man. This claim was proven when the man burped and scratched his rear end simultaneously.

Spender Shay everybody.

Naruto continued to watch the brunette to see what he would do next, he couldn't help it. He was curious.

Spencer dug in his pocket, searching for something. He took out a pair of white earphones while also pumping up his fist up in victory. He took out his pearphone and started listening to music. He kept humming to himself as he got sucked into the beat of the song still none the wiser to Naruto's presence.

"I'm a Barbie girl, in a Barbie world. Life in plastic, it's fantastic! You can brush my hair, undress me everywhere.." And that's when Naruto had enough, he erupted into gut wrenching laughter at the unbelievable sight. Nothing could get better than watching a young man sing passionately along to little kid's show mostly tailored to girls.

Spencer spun around faster than a speeding train, an appalled look on his face at the fact that he was caught doing, 'Spencer Stuff.' The two stared at each other, the silence of the room becoming impeccable. Naruto tried his best, his damn near hardest not to burst out into giggles again, but with Spencer puffing out his cheeks in a kiddish pout made the task seem impossible.

After an intense ten seconds one of them finally spoke, it was the latter of the duo.

"So, how long were you there for?"

"Long enough apparently."

"I see. So.. you heard me sing the part where you could undress me everywhere huh."

"Oh most definitely."

"Please don't tell Carley about this."

"He wouldn't have to tell me anything anyways." At the sound of the higher pitched voice the two males turned toward the source to find Carly standing on the stair steps in her pajamas and her hands on her hips, a sly grin on her face.

"I caught all of it on recording, right here safely in storage on my Pearphone." She smirked displaying her purple Pearphone for all to see. Once Spencer heard of this he made a face that was unconditionally grim.

"Might even put it on iCarly honestly. This is pure gold." She laughed. Naruto simply raised an eyebrow in question.

"What's iCarly?"

"Oh, it's a little webshow that me and my friends do." Spencer scoffed at her explanation.

"Yes because a few _million_ people watching live every webcast is _little_." His sardonic response did not go unnoticed.

"Talking like that won't help you Spencer." Carly coddled getting Naruto to chuckle. Spencer simply smirked.

"You know what, it's completely okay. Use that on your webcast and let the millions of people know how great of a singer I am. The viewers will love it!" Spencer dared nodding his head in satisfaction.

Carly laughed as she pressedthe play button on her phone.

"I'm a Barbie girl, in a Barbie worl-"

"STOP! I BEG OF YOU! HAVE MERCY!" Spencer ran toward Carly kneeling on his hands and knees as he begged in sorrow. Eliciting two separate points of laughter from the teens.

"Relax Spencer, I was joking. I'll just keep it so that I can use the video whenever I need a laugh or two. I'm not that cruel." Carly assured getting a breath of relief from her older brother. Naruto glanced at the both of them before looking at the boiling pot of water and noodles on the stove.

"Uh, Spencer I think you should go back and tend to what you're cooking before you burn the whole place down y'know.." Naruto reminded still looking at the boiling water.

"Oh, you're right. Well it was done anyways so I'll just turn the stove off. You guys hungry?" He asked turning the knob on the kitchen hardware. Naruto and Carly simply sat down at the kitchen table with a resounding yes.

"So what did you cook?" Carly asked to which Naruto was curious to know the answer to also. After all, he did just get out of bed just to find out what that smell was.

"Just ramen. Figured I could go for something simple." Spencer shrugged getting three bowls out of their kitchen cabinets. That's when it hit Naruto.

Ramen.

That was the familiar scent that he found sneaking into his nose when he woke up. The delicacy that only few could truly experience in their lifetime. The food of the divine was sitting right there on the stove in _their_ kitchen.

It was a dream come true.

"R-ramen?" Naruto asked his blue eyes widened to their maximum capacity. The Shay siblings nodded as Spencer set down the bowls.

Now, Naruto thought of himself as a bright, composed, and sometimes an eccentric young man. But when it came to fresh ramen, he just felt that he couldn't help himself. Albeit Carly and Spencer did not know this. Hence their surprise at seeing Naruto gorge down his bowl at inhumane speeds.

Seriously, what?

"Oh that was great." Naruto admitted plopping down on the chair with a full belly and a complacent look on his face.

Carly and Spencer's jaw dropped. Naruto literally refilled his bowl four to five times in the span of ten minutes! Their eyes literally widened out of their sockets at Naruto's pure ramen gluttony. What a weird quirk.

"I don't think I can move anymore or my stomach might explode.." Naruto whined noticing his belly shaping up into an overblown balloon.

"So you must really like ramen huh?" Carly ventured getting an unrestrained grin from the blonde. Naruto looked at her with such a serious face that she couldn't help but feel slightly taken aback.

"Ramen. This delicacy was made by the dvivine spirits of creation. They are meant to be served to all, by all, and in all places. Ramen has no limitation for it is infinite and still growing in purified greatness. Don't. Diss. The ramen." He finished off with a resolute smirk on his face, shocking the siblings with his compassion for such a simple food.

"Right. Well.. I'm gonna go hit the gym. So later!" Spencer said quickly moving toward the door before Carly scoffed and tugged at his arm.

"Hold on, wait a minute. Spencer, you never go to the gym. In matter of fact, you absolutely despise extensive movement! So, what's really going on?" Carly asked suspicion laced in her words.

Spencer laughed nervously. "It's nothing really. Just gonna go work out. You know, push-ups and stuff." Spencer sweated nervously flexing his stick arms for emphasis. That explanation was good enough right?

Judging by the disbelief in Carly's face and the way she crossed her arms while tapping her foot, this was not to be the case. He looked over to Naruto who was simply staring idly at the two, raising an eyebrow at the sibling's interaction.

"You're going to the gym just to stare at other girls that are _actually_ working out aren't you." It wasn't a question, it was a statement.

Once she layed it all out there, that was when he knew the jig was up.

"Ugh. Fine, you caught me. But I am completely justified, and I'm still going. And there is nothing you can do to stop me. Ha!" Spencer said pointing and sticking his tongue out at Carley in victory.

After that they both headed into a heated argument about their moral compasses. One siding on how it was perfectly okay to go to the gym even if it was just to pick up girls. And the other explaining how shallow it is and how wrong it is to exploit a place made for physical exertion to just pick up girls who were minding their own business.

Naruto tuned them both out however.

 _'Physical exertion, working out. This sounds like something I can use. It can help me, help me get stronger. After what happened with Bates.. I can't let that happen ever again. I need to be prepared to face him just in case he finds out that I'm not dead and is still out there looking for me. I need to make myself ready, and a gym seems like the perfect place to do it.'_ He frowned, before shaking his head. No need to think negatively now, he just needed to let his exercise work out any displeasing kinks he still had. He turned toward them.

"Hey, can I tag along?.." He asked while raising his eyebrows once he noticed the predicament the Shay duo were in. Their foreheads pressed against each other in anger and a battle of wills.

"Oh sure, go ahead. I'll be there soon." Spencer said as the two siblings glared each other down, gritting their teeth in pure fury.

"Okay, but. Where do i go?"

"It's across the street right next to the flower shop. Can't miss it." It was Carly who answered this time not even bothering to look at him as her ire was too focused on the older brunette in front of her. Naruto nodded and went to the fridge to grab a bottle of water before heading into the closet right across from Spencer's room to grab a small black towel.

Luckily, he was already dressed up in a black tank top and orange joggers. He looksd over himself and shrugged. He didn't mind his body or his clothes. It was comfortable and suitable, and he figured he was around the skinny, lean body type. Which was surprising considering his nutrition over the years. Although, there was still much to improve on.

Once he was set he turned the knob on the door to open before stopping himself. He turned around to ask one last question before leaving.

"So, what's the name of the flower shop anyways?"

"The Yamanaka Flower Shop."

Naruto put on his orange and black running shoes and left.

* * *

 _'Yamanaka.. Yamanaka.. ah there it is.'_ Naruto thought as he stopped right in front of the flower shop, seeing an assortment of potted flowers and plants on display. He looked over to the right of the flower shop to see a sign that said. "The Gym of Might."

 _'The Gym of Might. Weird name, but it'll do. Can't judge a book by its cover after all._ ' He thought with a shrug before heading inside.

He stepped into the building right after the two automatic doors opened for him. The thought of two automatic doors for a gym seemed like a pretty good design for the whisker marked blonde. After all, after someone works their ass off they're not really going to want to open a door to exit the gym afterwards.

Naruto noticed that once he was inside he saw that most of the gym was green with hints of black. But that wasn't all, apparently there was also a ring shaped like a mini octagon that was used in those live fighting competitions.

There were typical gym things, punching bags, olypticals, weight machines, free hand weights and the like. Over all the gym looked as if it was meant to work _every_ fiber of muscle a person had in their body.

He liked that a lot. After all if he was to be ready to take on Bates, he was to going to have to get into serious tiptop shape.

Naruto went to the nearest bench and set down his towel and the water bottle he had and started to stretch. He may had been on the streets for a whole decade but he still remembered the common sense to stretch before intense physical exertion of his body. After all, his parents usually took him to gyms when he was younger to keep in shape.

Ouch, bad memory. He should focus at the task at hand before he starts to overthink.

Once done Naruto took to a nearby treadmill and turned it on. He saw the track of the treadmill loop over and over as if the track was an endless road. The thing about the treadmill was that there was no destination to its usage, only a limitation on how long you can travel this road that was unceasing.

So, Naruto ran. Ran for as long as he could.

An hour passed Naruto finally stopped, his body drenched in sweat, his heart beating faster than a speeding bullet, and his legs feeling like jelly.

He had one thought on the matter.

 _'Holy fuck. That sucked so much, whew._ ' His exhaustion was inconceivable. What was his time, an hour? He thought that was pretty good considering he hadn't ran like that in over ten years. But holy hell was it draining. He always was a person with huge stamina but still, this surprised him.

He took a sip of his water, feeling the cold liquid wash down his dry throat whilst also cooling down his overheating body.

He just sat there for a moment, thinking over things. Bates, his new predicament in the Shay household and overall everything that has happened in the past few days. He stared at his water bottle until he heard someone plop right next to him on the bench. Naruto looked over to his side to see a skinny white male, who was a brunette, had dark eyes and seemed to look as exhausted as he was. Naruto paid him no mind when he sat down, he was tired, so was he, it was a gym it was expected.

Then fifteen minutes passed by.

He was still trying to recover his breath. Naruto turned toward him with a raised eyebrow.

"Hey, you alright?" The teen nodded his head as he still wheezed.

"Yeah.. just, really tired. Just got back from.. the treadmill." He breathed drinking his bottle of water.

"How long did you run for?"

"I jogged for probably.. ten minutes?" He said as he was finally starting to recover his breath. Naruto visibly widened his eyes. He was still out of breath fifteen minutes after he ran. He was recuperating longer than he took to work out and that shocked the blonde. It took him at least five minutes to recuperate after his hour long run but, fifteen minutes to regain your breath. Damn. Oh well, Naruto guessed that's why the brunette was going to the gym, because of a problem like that. Unless he had asthma, but he didn't see an inhaler anywhere on his person so that option was out.

"So, what's your name? Mine's Freddy." The teen introduced taking another sip of his water before wiping the sweat off of his forehead.

"Naruto. Nice to meet you." Naruto said leaning back on the bench to relax a little bit before he would start to work out again.

"Wanna be my partner for the punching bags? I've been meaning to try them out." Naruto raised an eyebrow at that. And Freddy started waving his hands in front of him frantically.

"I-I mean if you don't want to, that's cool too.." Naruto nodded before smiling.

"Sure I'd love to help you out." Freddy gave off his own smile too before going to the nearest punching bag, getting two sets of fingerless gloves that were placed on a nearby rack. Black for Naruto and dark blue for him. Naruto placed the gloves on, securing the fabric tightly around his hands. They seemed comfortable enough, and Naruto soon held the black punching bag in place waiting for Freddy to start.

When a solid minute passed by and Naruto felt nothing hitting the bag he looked around to bag to see Freddy punching the bag with visible effort. Naruto raised an eyebrow as Freddy kept hitting the bag feeling no physical force coming from the blow.

"Uh, are you actually punching the bag Freddy? I don't feel anything over here." Freddy's face looked noticeably shocked at Naruto's comment.

"What? I've been hitting this stupid bag with everything I've had up until now." Freddy said slapping the bag with his right hand.

Still no force.

Naruto didn't want to be the guy to downright tell someone about a flaw that they had about themselves when he knew he wasn't perfect but-

This was just sad.

"It could be that you're just that weak y'know.." Freddy took on an angered expression before changing into a small devious smile.

"I guess you're right, how about we switch? You punch and I'll hold the bag." Freddy suggested switching to Naruto's position. Naruto shrugged thinking nothing of the gesture. Now was the time to test himself and see what he could dish out.

Naruto cracked his knuckles in preparation. He rotated his wrists in a tiny stretch before taking a swing at the bag.

 _'Psh I'm not weak. I doubt he could be much stronger anyways_.' Freddy thought in confidence. Sure he wasn't the strongest guy around but he had to be pretty strong right? Right.

Naruto's fist reached the punching bag and he felt the satisfying impact of the bag absorbing his brute force-filled punch. The bag went a foot backwards even with Freddy holding it. It probably would've went further if Freddy wasn't there but that was the whole point of having a partner holding the bag. The partner was supposed to keep the bag placed so that it would allow for a succession of more blows.

Naruto soon wailed on the bag with a flurry of punches putting more force into each punch he landed.

Freddy was having a terrible time with this. Every punch that Naruto threw he had to use all of his strength just to keep he bag there, otherwise the punching bag would literally fly into his face delivering its own makeshift punch. Who was this guy?

With every blow Naruto dealt the more he would sink into his thoughts. The more he thought of preparing for Bates, the guy who almost killed him. The more he thought of bringing Bates justice for almost murdering him. With each thought that Naruto had the more force he brought out in his punches. Naruto sank into his thoughts and at one point he didn't even think about punching anymore, he just did it subconsciously with how furious he was and it was not good for the bag of the person holding it.

Naruto let out a wrathful shout as he let out one more blow to the bag, his punch dealing an insane amount of power.

During the whole time Freddy's eyes were closed out of fright at how Naruto had an innate amount of strength in his punches. Once his fright had subsided and once Naruto's blows had stopped he cautiously looked around the bag to see an unbelievable sight.

Naruto with his head down breathing and his bangs clouding his blue irises. But that wasn't where the disbelief had began as he saw where Naruto's fist was and what it did to the bag that he was holding.

Naruto had punched _into_ the bag.

No, he did not make a dent into it, he did not tear it, he punched into the bag. He punched the bag so hard that his fist made its own _landmark_ within the bag.

What. The. Fuck.

Naruto breathed in and smiled sheepishly. He took his fist out of the bag seeing the gigantic hole he had made within it. The blonde rubbed his head sheepishly as he looked at the brunette who had his eyes nearly bugged out of their sockets.

"Guess I kind of overdid it huh."

Freddy could only nod.

* * *

Once the shock and awe of what had happened subsided Freddy could only stare at Naruto with an interested gaze.

"Um, are you okay?" The blonde asked a little nervously. Freddie shook his head at the question.

"I think I should be the one asking that. I mean, you punched a hole _through_ a punching bag! I only know of one person who could possibly do that and _she's_ a monster." Freddie sighed before getting an idea.

"You know, since you can do that to a punching bag, imagine what would happen if you actually fought someone. I'm pretty sure they're going to have a tournament like a month from now and I think you should enter it." Freddie suggested getting a raised eyebrow from Naruto.

"A tournament? What for?"

"It's to promote the MMA to catch more viewers. Apparently the prize for wining the whole thing is that you can train with Shelby Marx who is the best female MMA fighter right now."

Naruto took on a thoughtful look at that prospect.

 _'Best female fighter huh? She has to have some really good moves. Moves that I can use to beat Bates so that he won't hurt anyone like he did to me ever again. This tournament might be a good idea. But, I would have to face other people and that would be troublesome. But if I can win the tourney I would be able to train with Shelby, the pros definitely outweigh the cons here.'_

"You're right, that sounds like a great plan. So, where do I sign up?"

Freddie pointed over to the front of the gym where they saw a desk with a pen and clipboard on top of it, and a vacant chair behind it.

"Come on I'll come with." Freddie said, leading the way to the desk.

Once they reached the desk they saw that someone got there before them. Someone who might have been a year older than them who was also signing up for the tournament.

He was fairly tall, was wearing a green jumpsuit with orange leg warmers and had bandages on his arms. His hair was shaped into a bowl cut and he had thick eyebrows with charcoal black eyes.

Freddy visibly cringed at the eyebrows that the teen before them had. Naruto had to admit, they were _pretty_ thick.

Once the teen signed up his attention was caught by someone who looked exactly like him, but definitely older.

This man had a bowl cut, thick eyebrows, black eyes, was also wearing a green jumpsuit, and orange leg warmers. The difference was that he was taller and had on a green flak jacket and did not have bandages on his arms.

"Hey Lee! So you're signing up for the tournament huh? I'm glad that you're showing off your spirngtime of youth!" The exuberant individual said giving off a shiny white smile that blinded the other two teens. Although Lee seemed to be unaffected.

"Of course Guy-sensei! I would never miss such a youthful opportunity!" Lee shouted giving off his own smile, which also doubled the brightness from his teeth. Naruto and Freddie recoiled further at the sight, feeling their eyes water and burn from the damage it was doing to their retina.

"I'm so proud of you Lee! You're growing into such a fine young man!" Guy yelled holding Lee into an embrace, tears running down his cheeks.

"Thank you so much Guy-sensei!" Lee cried out, returning the hug with tears visible on his face.

"Lee!"

"Guy-sensei!"

"Lee!"

"Guy-sensei!"

"LEE!"

"GUY-SENSEI!"

"LEEEE!"

"GUY-SENSEEIIII!"

It became so loud that everyone in the gym had to cover their ears, so blinding that they also had to cover their eyes.

Some people who were running on the treadmill fell down in an embarrassing heap, suffering from both the blinding and physical agony that they were experiencing.

Freddie immediately turned to Naruto and shoved him toward the desk.

"Sign up quick! I don't know how much I can take!" Naruto nodded with gritted teeth. He picked up the black pen on the table and looked for the first vacant spot that he could find on the list. Once he saw an empty slot he wrote his name down with speedy finesse and was about to high tail it out of there.

He was about to do that right before he felt a hand on his shoulder.

Naruto looked back to see a bandaged hand, which led to a determined looking Lee. Naruto was curious as to what Lee would have wanted with him. But it was odd, how did he garner his attention anyways?

"Excuse me, but I have noticed that you signed up for the tournament that will be happening a month from now. If you don't mind, I would like to fight you right now in the ring."

Ah. So that's what it was. Naruto stared at him in surprise at his request before looking at Freddie who shrugged at him. He didn't know what to say to that.

Naruto turned back to Lee who still had that determined look on his face. Naruto didn't see the harm in it. Besides, this could help hone his skills even if he were to lose.

Although, Naruto did not plan to lose at all.

"Alright. You're on."

Thus the preparation for battle began.

 **(A:N whew! That took a while. I hope you guys enjoyed it. You sure didn't see that coming huh? I just had to get Lee and Guy in here. I loved those two in the anime and I just love writing their characters. So please review and I hope you have a fantastic day, a cool afternoon, and a lovely night. Ciao!)**


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